


Negotiation

by emhemm



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Community: hp_goldenage, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-13
Updated: 2019-03-13
Packaged: 2019-11-06 03:37:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,480
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17932112
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emhemm/pseuds/emhemm
Summary: He wasn't afraid of retirement; he just knew it wasn't time for him yet.





	Negotiation

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much to Shelly for being a wonderful beta. Many thanks to the mods for your encouragement and for running this awesome fest. It's among my favourites and I'm so pleased to be able to contribute.

Draco woke to the obnoxious tinkling of metal on china and tried not to frown. It was nearly a lost cause, but Malfoys were always in control even when mostly asleep.

He was sure Harry was being an arse because he'd asked Harry uncountable times not to stir tea like that and Harry usually remembers to humour him. For Draco's part, he usually remembers not to leave cups of cold tea lying around. Sometimes he honestly forgets when he gets engrossed in research or writing patient notes. Harry is forgiving of his abandoned teacups but gets upset when he forgets to eat lunch because he's too focussed on what he's doing.

"Rise and shine, Sleeping Beauty," Harry said in a sing-song tone, at which Draco gave up fighting his scowl. Harry knew how irritating his cheerfulness was in the morning. Not that it was morning right now, considering that he woke up on the couch, but it was the principle of it: Harry knew exactly how annoying he was being.

He'd only wanted to rest his eyes for a few moments, not fall asleep. Instead, he could feel that Harry had taken off his shoes and covered him with the afghan. This was happening much more frequently than Draco would like. He did not need afternoon naps, especially since Harry didn't need them.

It did not matter that there were others like him who'd endured Cruciatus regularly during adolescence and were experiencing similar symptoms now that they were all ageing. Theo, Pansy and Greg had all retired in the last three years. None of it mattered. He was the same age as Harry and he refused to become an old man while Harry remained as spry as ever.

However, since he'd fallen asleep and then needed Harry to wake him, Draco stubbornly kept his eyes closed and pulled the afghan over his head. He'd wake up and face Harry when he wanted to and not a moment sooner. He knew he was behaving like a cranky toddler before a nap. His patients would be shocked to see this childish side of him instead of the highly-regarded healer with which they were familiar. He didn't care.

Harry ran his hand through his hair and Draco couldn't help leaning into the touch.

He loved it when Harry did that, and Harry knew that it was one of the best ways to make him admit that he was awake. They still woke each other up by going down on one another and any other manner of delightful activities, but Harry carding his hand through his hair was an equally pleasurable method. Harry preferred to be cuddled close and for Draco to rub his hands in circles on Harry's back.

Harry tugged the afghan off his face and kissed the crease of his mouth and forehead. Draco hummed in approval, but that seemed to be Harry's cue to revert back to being annoying because he said, "Draco wake up, or you'll keep me up all night, and not in a good way."

Bastard. Draco was tempted to prove him wrong with a night of lovemaking, but the last time he'd tried that his bones had ached for the next three days. Draco sighed. Harry was right. If he slept much longer then he wouldn't be able to sleep tonight and his tossing and turning disturbed Harry.

This was why he'd suggested separate beds, possibly their own rooms, because he knew Harry wouldn't tell him if he'd started to snore. Even the thought of sleeping separately was depressing but he didn't know how Harry put up with his insomnia keeping them both up these last few years.

He couldn't even be a considerate bed mate, let alone one who could please Harry all through the night. Depressing didn't even begin to cover it. He knew the expression on his face must be thunderous by now, reflecting his less-than-pleasant thoughts.

"Oh don't be that way," Harry cajoled. "You're still the only one to do it for me even if we don't go at it all night."

Draco didn't want to talk about it so he pushed himself up and held his hand out for tea, which Harry obligingly passed to him.

Even with his eyes closed he just knew that Harry was smiling at him inanely, so he made the two-fingered salute in his direction.

"Maybe later?" Harry's voice definitely held a smile, but Draco also knew it was Harry's way of asking him if he was feeling well.

Draco glared at Harry, then considered his teasing seriously. "I have Blackthorn then Wheeler, but that's it for today. You need to make sure you'll be free too, so let your underlings know that any emergencies should be redirected to Weasley." In other words, Draco was feeling better than he had in a long time.

He also had to stock up on several potions, but that could keep a while. Never let it be said he didn't know what his priorities were. He might spend all his spare time working and not have any hobbies, but he'd always made time for Harry and he always would.

"Madam Blackthorn again? She didn't take long to make another appointment," Harry said after putting a plate of biscuits on the coffee table and sitting next to him with his own cup of tea.

"She left a message early this morning. I think she was hoping to catch you and not me, but I had to do some stock-taking." That, and he'd woken up and couldn't find sleep again. "She just wants reassurance."

"You just like her because she calls you 'young man' and feeds you chocolate croissants." Harry picked out a biscuit and held it in front of Draco's mouth. "Here you go, young man. I hand-feed you chocolate biscuits, so no running off with Madam Blackthorn."

Draco inwardly grimaced at the idea but only arched an eyebrow at Harry. "You're just jealous she doesn't call you that when you pretend to be my secretary, and neither do any of the others." He leant forwards and took in the whole biscuit, making sure to brush Harry's fingers with his lips and tongue. Seeing Harry's pupils dilate made behaving in such an uncouth manner worthwhile.

"You're the one who begged me to be your receptionist and take your floo-calls. As for being called ridiculous names, my job doesn't involve paying house visits mainly to elderly wizards and witches."

"No, your job involves foolishly running after criminals and delinquents when you should be leaving the grunt work to your minions."

It was an old argument and Draco was pleased when Harry chose to kiss him rather than pointlessly continue it. He'd never admit that he was pleased by Harry's response, of course. All the same, Draco knew that Harry knew that he'd goaded Harry into kissing him by bringing up petty arguments and behaving outrageously.

Harry's kisses never failed to leave him feeling dazed and Harry knew it, because after a moment of imitating a barnacle, Harry broke the comfortable silence. "I've noticed that you feel a lot better if you rest after lunch. Draco, I know that you hate it but it makes such a difference. Will you please try it regularly, just for me?"

"Well, at least you're not asking me to retire again."

"You're right. You don't need to retire yet, and you'd cause all sorts of mischief out of boredom if you did. But won't you try just a short half an hour rest? A short rest each day is isn't retiring, and it would make me very happy."

"I know what you're doing. Suggesting retirement as the extreme solution to make your request seem more palatable well in advance, softening me up with kisses first, agreeing with me about retirement in order to make me more pliable, then couching your request as a personal favour. There is no point trying to out-Slytherin me."

"What if I suggest giving up fieldwork so that I can come home to make you lunch and then rest with you afterwards?"

"You'd stop going out into the field completely and stay bound to your desk?"

"No more field work at all. I'll be safe in your arms after every lunch."

"You drive a hard bargain."

"I love you too."

Later on Draco was too tired for his original plans, but he made good on his promise by reducing Harry to shudders and moans with his fingers. He made sure to work Harry up, then withheld what Harry desperately begged for until he extracted a promise that he'd be woken up with reciprocation in the coming week.

He could have asked nicely afterwards but it was so much more fun to negotiate while Harry was out of his mind with need. Harry's propensity to do the same was one of his finer qualities.

**Author's Note:**

> This work is a part of an anonymous fest and the creator will be revealed no later than March 30. Please comment here or at [our community on Dreamwidth.](https://hp-goldenage.dreamwidth.org/70471.html) Thanks! ♥


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